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ELA Content-Specific Criteria

English Language Arts Content-Specific Criteria

The following criteria contain examples in many places to clarify the type (and level) of concepts and skills that are expected in quality standards at the designated grade spans. The criteria and examples for each grade span should be understood to include the criteria and examples for the grade spans that precede them.

Grades K-4

Reading

  1. The standards delineate explicit and systematic expectations in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension skills.
  2. The standards address systematic vocabulary development (e.g., basic prefixes and suffixes; common synonyms, antonyms, and compound words; multiple meaning words; dictionary use).
  3. The standards outline specific expectations for reading and analyzing literary and non-literary texts (e.g., recognizing and interpreting genres; structures; literary elements; and stylistic devices).
  4. The standards reflect the importance of reading grade-appropriate works of outstanding American literature that reflect our common heritage.
  5. The standards describe the amount, quality, and complexity of both literary and non-literary texts to be studied through the use of lists (authors and/or titles), sample passages, and/or commentary.

Writing

  1. The standards delineate expectations for writing that address the characteristics and quality of writing products appropriate to the grade level (e.g., organization of ideas and focus; introduction, body and conclusion; elements of a paragraph; evaluation and revision skills).
  2. The standards require students to recognize, explain, and produce writing that reflects the defining characteristics of various grade appropriate writing genres (e.g., narration; exposition).
  3. The standards describe or reference the use of specific criteria for evaluating writing (e.g., logically organized and detailed genre or prompt-specific rubrics) that include examples regarding the quality of writing expected.

Listening and Speaking

  1. The standards clearly address active listening and effective speaking skills (e.g., summarizing information presented orally; asking and answering relevant questions).
  2. The standards address the ability to make formal oral presentations(e.g.,recitation;story retelling; and sequencing).
  3. The standards describe or reference the use of specific criteria for evaluating oral presentations (e.g., content; organization; and presentation style).
  4. The standards include specific expectations for participation in group discussions (e.g., turn-taking; applying agreed-upon rules for decision making).

Oral and Written Language Conventions

  1. The standards specify expectations for the correct use of standard English, describing a grade-appropriate facility with the parts of speech, sentence structure, usage, and mechanics appropriate to the grade level (e.g., nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and nominative/objective/interrogative pronouns; sentence types; complete/incomplete sentences; subject/verb (S/V) agreement; initial, internal, and ending punctuation; and basic spelling rules, such with as plurals, contractions, and inflections).

Research

  1. The standards require students to learn the research process, outlining specific expectations for the essential components of the process (e.g., identifying or finalizing a research question; locating information; evaluating and compiling information; presenting findings; and acknowledging sources using a standard format).

Media

  1. The standards require students to analyze and evaluate information presented in multimedia formats (e.g., the effect of various visual and aural techniques; how information presented in print is different from that which is presented through the use of multimedia).
  2. The standards require that students learn about multimedia techniques for presenting information.

Grades 5-8

Reading

  1. The standards address vocabulary development (e.g., knowledge of roots and affixes; connotation and denotation; figurative language; use of the dictionary for clarifying multiple meanings, etymology, and pronunciation).
  2. The standards specify strategies/skills for reading and analyzing both literary and non-literary texts (e.g., analysis of genres, structures, literary elements, rhetorical techniques, and stylistic devices; strategies for comprehension and interpretation).
  3. The standards reflect the importance of reading grade-appropriate works of outstanding American literature that reflect our common heritage.
  4. The standards describe the amount, quality, and complexity of both literary and non-literary texts to be studied through the use of lists (authors and/or titles), sample passages, and/or commentary.

Writing

  1. The standards delineate expectations for writing that address the characteristics and quality of writing products appropriate to the grade level (increasingly sophisticated understanding of audience and purpose; clear organization and consistent focus; development of ideas through multi-paragraph essays; use of transitions; reflective peer review and revision processes).
  2. The standards require students to interpret and produce writing that reflects the defining characteristics of various grade-appropriate writing genres (e.g., argument).
  3. The standards describe or reference the use of specific criteria for evaluating writing (e.g., logically organized and detailed genre or prompt-specific rubrics) that include examples regarding the quality of writing expected.

Listening and Speaking

  1. The standards clearly address active listening and effective speaking skills (e.g., give, restate, and execute multi-step directions; convey ideas orally and interpret spoken ideas; make inferences from spoken information; ask and answer clarifying questions).
  2. The standards address the ability to make formal oral presentations (e.g., recitation; informative and persuasive presentations that offer supporting details and evidence; address anticipated counterclaims and include a call to action when appropriate).
  3. The standards describe or reference the use of detailed criteria for evaluating formal oral presentations.
  4. The standards include specific expectations for participation in group discussions (e.g., designation of roles; eliciting and considering suggestions).

Oral and Written Language Conventions

  1. The standards specify expectations for the correct use of standard English, describing a grade-appropriate facility with the parts of speech, sentence structure, usage, and mechanics appropriate to the grade level (e.g., parts of the verb; interjections, possessive/demonstrative/relative/indefinite pronouns; tenses; analysis of sentence structure; types of phrases and clauses; fragments and run-on sentences; facility with mechanics grounded in understanding of sentence structure).

Research

  1. The standards require students to employ the research process, outlining specific expectations for the essential components of the process (e.g., identifying and refining a research question; locating information; evaluating the quality of information/ sources; selecting information that supports a thesis; presenting findings; citing sources correctly using standard guidelines; and avoiding plagiarism).

Media

  1. The standards require students to analyze and evaluate information presented in multimedia formats (e.g.,how information presented in print is different from that which is presented through the use of multimedia; noting what is conveyed through the use of various visual and aural techniques, such as bias and propaganda).
  2. The standards require that students know how to use multimedia techniques to present information.

Grades 9-12

Reading

  1. The standards address vocabulary development and skills for building content area vocabulary (e.g., applying knowledge of roots and affixes to help determine meanings of words; tracing etymology; determining shades of meaning).
  2. The standards describe specific expectations for reading and analyzing both literary and non-literary texts (e.g., analyzing the clarity of structures, the development of literary elements, the effectiveness of rhetorical techniques, and the manipulation of stylistic devices; describing the truth and/or validity of an argument; recognizing and explaining the presence of fallacious reasoning).
  3. The standards reflect the importance of reading grade-appropriate works of outstanding American literature that reflect our common literary heritage.
  4. The standards describe the amount, quality, and complexity of both literary and non-literary texts to be studied through the use of lists (authors and/or titles), sample passages, and/or commentary.

Writing

  1. The standards delineate expectations for writing that address the characteristics and quality of writing products appropriate to the grade level (e.g., strong organization and development of ideas; facility with selection and blending of genres appropriate to audience and purpose; the use of sophisticated transitions, active rather than passive voice, and other stylistic elements for rhetorical effect).
  2. The standards require students to analyze and produce writing that reflects the defining characteristics of various grade-appropriate writing genres (e.g., persuasion).
  3. The standards describe or reference the use of specific criteria for evaluating writing (e.g., logically organized and detailed genre or prompt-specific rubrics) that include examples regarding the quality of writing expected.

Listening and Speaking

  1. The standards clearly address active listening and effective speaking skills (e.g., interpret complex information and ideas presented orally and convey complex information or ideas orally).
  2. The standards address the ability to make formal oral presentations (recitation; complex informative or persuasive oral presentations that require a logical structure, well-chosen supporting evidence/details, skillful rhetorical techniques, and a strong presentation style).
  3. The standards describe or reference the use of detailed criteria for evaluating formal oral presentations.
  4. The standards include specific expectations for participation in group discussions (e.g., tolerating ambiguity; building on the ideas of others; reaching consensus).

Oral and Written Language Conventions

  1. The standards specify expectations for the correct use of standard English, describing a grade-appropriate facility with the parts of speech, sentence structure, usage, and mechanics (e.g., demonstrate control of sentence structure, usage, and mechanics).

Research

  1. The standards require students to conduct the research process, outlining specific expectations for the essential components of the process (e.g., identifying and refining a research question; locating information; evaluating the quality of information/ sources; selecting information that supports a thesis; excluding extraneous information; presenting findings in a format appropriate for the audience and purpose; citing sources correctly in a standard format; and avoiding plagiarism).

Media

  1. The standards require students to analyze and evaluate information presented in multimedia formats(e.g.,noting instances of manipulation, bias, propaganda, and potential fallacies).
  2. The standards require that students use multimedia techniques to present information when possible.

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